R. Ashwin Eyes Overseas Cricket After IPL Retirement, Cites Draining Schedule

Ravichandran Ashwin has broken the silence on his sudden retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL), mentioning his desire to play in foreign leagues. Ashwin brought an end to his 17-year-long career in the T20 extravaganza as he announced his retirement through his social media.

Recently, the off-spinner opened up on his desire to play in foreign leagues, saying that he loves to take the paths less travelled. He also mentioned that he would continue to play and enjoy cricket, calling it the ‘greatest joy of his life.’

“I won’t say it’s a well-planned (decision). But, my way of life has been travelling paths less travelled. But, I don’t do anything for not going in a particular direction. I wouldn’t deny that I didn’t have in mind the thought of playing overseas. It was there. In my mind, I want to really enjoy cricket in the final stages of my cricket career. I don’t want any regrets in life. I will definitely keep playing cricket. For me, cricket is a source of great joy,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

Furthermore, he revealed the mental and physical toll of playing in the IPL under a tight schedule, terming it a ‘draining experience.’

“I contemplated whether I should play IPL next season. Three months of IPL felt a bit too much. I have gone to a stage of life where I want to play three months of IPL, but it’s very draining. That’s why I am amazed by someone like MS Dhoni. He plays only three months. But, with age, the bandwidth to play those three months keeps decreasing. Three months of travel, playing matches and recovery after matches are not easy. As you age, the ability to recover will go down. After recovering, you have to play again. I thought about all these a lot. There’s this health factor,” he added.

Ashwin also disclosed that he has already registered for one foreign league but didn't reveal the tournament's name.

"I was wondering if I can head to coaching immediately. But, then I thought this candle can still burn. So I want to play. Say if you go overseas and play, you can enjoy the experience. Not many people will recognise you on the streets, you can have fun. It’s not like I will travel across the world and compete in each and every league. No, I can’t play 10 months in a year. I will wait for opportunities and see how I fit into different teams’ plans. I have already registered for one such league. Let's see how it goes," said Ashwin.

Ashwin played 221 matches in the IPL and picked up 187 wickets, finishing as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the history of the tournament. The 38-year-old started and ended his IPL journey with his home team, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), where he also won the IPL twice with CSK, in 2010 and 2011.

Over the years, he also represented Rising Pune Supergiants, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, and even captained Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) during his stint there.